Iran may seek to retaliate against the U.S. following a stealth strike on three significant locations, although the regime lacks the capacity for a “significant escalation,” an expert in Middle East and U.S. national security stated on Sunday to Digital.
Jacob Olidort, director of the Center for American Security at the America First Policy Institute, described Iran as currently “a lot of bark,” and anticipated a potential “small bite” from the regime targeting the U.S.
“I do foresee some kind of face-saving efforts,” Olidort remarked, indicating that Iran could possibly execute cyber-attacks or strikes on regional infrastructure.
Iran has already fired additional missiles at Israel subsequent to the U.S. military’s actions, impacting at least 10 sites and causing injuries to at least 20 people in Israel.
However, Olidort stated he did not expect “any significant escalation” from Iran, attributing this not to a lack of willingness but to the regime’s current diminished capabilities for a stronger response after its own prior waves of strikes against the regime earlier this month.
Israel has confirmed its strikes were aimed at Iran’s nuclear facilities and ballistic missile sites, and resulted in the deaths of multiple Iranian military commanders.
In the hours following the strikes, Tehran asserted that the period for diplomacy had concluded and that it possessed the right to defend itself. Concurrently, President Donald Trump declared that “now is the time for peace.”
Regarding the influence Iran wields through its proxy forces in the region, Olidort noted that none of them have immediately come to Iran’s aid following the U.S. strikes, which potentially highlights Iran’s weakness.
Olidort suggested that the U.S. operation’s effect on Iran’s nuclear program could significantly impede the regime’s objective of developing nuclear weapons.
“Before these strikes, Israel had eliminated many of Iran’s capabilities and numerous nuclear scientists,” he stated, adding his estimation that Israel had already delayed Iran’s nuclear program by two to three years.
The U.S. strikes may now have set back Iran’s nuclear program by over a decade, according to Olidort, although he clarified that this timeframe largely depends on future actions or agreements between the U.S. and Iran.
On Saturday, the U.S. launched a surprise attack using B-2 stealth bombers on nuclear facilities, including Natanz and Isfahan.
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated during a Pentagon briefing on Sunday morning that a full assessment of the battle damage to the facilities would require time.
As of Sunday, it remained uncertain whether any enriched nuclear material was destroyed in the U.S. strikes or if Iran had relocated the material beforehand.